In the medical field, portable radiographic image capturing apparatus (e.g., FPD (Flat Panel Detector)) have been used for capturing a radiographic image of interior portions of a human body by detecting the intensity of radiation that has passed through the human body. Since the user of a portable FPD carries the portable FPD, the user may mistakenly drop the portable FPD or hit the portable FPD against a hard object such as an image capturing base, a door, or the like while handling the portable FPD, which could possibly cause damage to the portable FPD.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-177379 discloses a portable FPD equipped with an impact sensor. The portable FPD initiates a self-diagnostic process in response to a signal from the impact sensor. If it is decided that the portable FPD has a fault based on the results of the self-diagnostic process, then the portable FPD is prohibited from starting an image capturing process or applying radiation to a target subject.